Inter on top of the world

As much as everyone would have loved to see an underdog team upset a champion team and make for a fairytale story, this was a familiar script. Not that TP Mazembe were pushovers.

They fought tooth and nail but class showed in the end as European Inter Milan won 3-0 to add the FIFA Club World Cup to their trophy cabinet.

Mazembe from Democratic Republic of Congo, the first African team to make it to the final, stood up to a strong Inter and can go back with heads held high.

Inter scored through Goran Pandev (13^th), Samuel Eto’o (17^th) and substitute Jonathan Biabiany (85^th).

Before kick-off, there was a slick closing ceremony with fireworks going around a stadium filled with 42,154 spectators. The SC Internacional supporters stayed back to support their Brazilian boys in Inter — Lucio, Maicon and Thiago Motta, apart from goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

TP Mazembe coach Lamine N’Diaye went in with the same starting XI which stunned Brazilian giants SC Internacional in the semifinal.

Inter Milan manager Rafael Benitez made two changes, bringing in midfielder Thiago Motta in place of the injured Wesley Sneijder and reinforced his defence with Maicon coming in for midfielder Dejan Stankovic.

The opening minutes action was a pitch invasion by an Inter fan in the fourth minute before he was escorted away by security. TP Mazembe tried to work up some moves but found it hard to slip through a tight Inter defence. TP Mazembe’s Dioko Kaluyituka.

Inter, who were gauging the game, hit their strides and went ahead in the 13^thminute through their Macedonian forward Goran Pandev. TP Mazembe captain Kazembe Mihayo failed to cut off Samuel Eto’o ball from the left flank and Pandev connected and sent it past a diving goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba, despite Kiritcho Kasusula’s trying to stop him.

The TP Mazembe defence were on their toes and couldn’t cope with Inter’s marauding forwards. Their failure to clear the ball quickly from their area resulted in Inter’s second goal four minutes later. Inter captain Javier Zanetti fired a perfect cross from the right and Pandev laid it up for Samuel Eto’o who fired home. Inter’s Diego Milito could have got a couple of goals but muffed up both opportunities. Off a long ball from the middle, the Argentine broke the off-side trap as the Mazembe players waited for the flag. Milito darted in and had only the charging goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba to beat. But Milito’s shot from close hit Kidiaba’s foot before being cleared by Joel Kimwaki.

A little later, he frittered another similar opportunity off another ball from the middle. Kiritcho Kasusula tailed him but Milito’s feeble try hit goalkeeper Kidiaba.

TP Mazembe forward Dioko Kaluyituka was the lone warrior upfront and came up with a chance in the two minutes of injury time of the first half but his shot was blocked by the Inter defence.

Benitez brought in midfielder Dejan Stankovic for defender Cristian Chivu after the restart. Maicon could have added a third when he made his way in from the right with Joel Kimwaki and Kiritcho Kasusula shadowing him. But his shot was pushed away for a corner by goalkeeper Kidiaba.

Mazembe captain Mihayo could have reduced the deficit but his long ranger was blocked by goalkeeper Julio Cesar just after the hour mark.

Milito, who had an unlucky game, missing a couple of goal-scoring opportunities, was substituted by Benitez and Jonathan Biabiany came in.

Mazembe had their best chance in the 76^thminute but Dioko Kaluyituka messed it up when he had just the charging goalkeeper Julio Cesar to beat. He tried to make space after darting in but couldn’t go through with it.

Three minutes later, Kaluyituka’s try from close range after a Mulota Kabangu pass from the right was blocked by goalkeeper Cesar.

Substitute Jonathan Biabiany added the third for Inter in the 85^thminute.

james@khaleejtimes.com